Two-color stylograph



March 1, 1966 J. BOURBON TWO-COLOR STYLOGRAPH Filed March 6, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR qw @Mbo-L ATToRNE A March 1, 1966 J, BQURBON3,237,605

TWO-COLOR STYLOGRAPH Filed March 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /AM E www BYm@ ATTORNE United States Patent() 3,237,665 TWO-COLOR STYLOGRAPH JeanBourbon, Saint-Lupicin, France, assignor to Etablissements A. Bourbon diFils, Saint-Lnpicin, France,

a joint-stock company of France Filed Mar. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 349,865Claims priority, application France, Mar. 15, 1963, 43,440, Patent1,361,948 1 Claim. (Cl. 1Z0-42.13)

The present invention relates generally to writing devices having tworetractible writing elements, and more particularly to twoacolorball-pens.

One object of the invention is to provide a two-color ball-pen orstylograph Lhaving a particularly simple and reliable operatingmechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very cheap mechanism ofthe above kind.

In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a cap having at itsupper portion a diametrical wall on each side of which may slide theoperating knobs of two writing elements movable axially within the capagainst a spring, which diametrical wall rotatably carries at its lowerportion an oscillating member lhaving two studs protruding laterally andcoacting each with a .recess located in each of the operating knobswhich, with the exv ception of an assembling groove, are symmetricalrelatively to the plane of this wall.

The prole of each recessfis such that, under action of one of the returnsprings of the writing elements, the oscillating member may bepositively pushed always in the same direction.

It is thus temporarily brought out of the said position when one of theknobs is pushed downwardly, whereafter the same is locked in writingposition by the other operating knob which is kept retracted and whichurges the oscillating member towards its original angular position.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the upper portion of atwo-color ball-pen according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an longitudinal section thereof on a plane perpendicular tothe section plane of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are transverse sections respectively on the linesIII-III, IV-IV, V-V, VI-VI and VII-VII (FIG. l).

FIGS. 8 and. 9 are diagrammatical detail views showing independently thetwo operating knobs and the oscillating members, respectively when onewriting element is being brought into writing position, and after thisoperation.

FIG. l is an exploded perspective on a large scale showing the twooperating knobs and the oscillating member.

The two-color ball-pen shown in the drawings comprises a barrel 1rigidly secured to a cap 2 extending thereabove. The upper portion ofthe cap 2 ends in a diametral wall 3 extending only in the upper portionof the ball-pen, while the lower portion of the cap 2 has a cylindricaltransverse recess adapted to rotatably receive the cylindrical head 4 ofan oscillating member 5 engaged therein. Within the cap 2 and on eachside of the wall 3, are slidably mounted two operating knobs, 6, 7, eachengaging at its lower portion the upper end of a writing cartridge 8.The cap 2 is open at the level of the upper portion of the knobs 6, 7.The latter may be pushed against helical return springs 9 located on thecartridges 8.

Each spring 9 is compressed between the knob 6 or 7 and an inner thrustring 10 fixed within the barrel 1.

A pocket clip 11 of known type is laterally mounted on the cap 2 withwhich it is preferably integral, the whole unit being made of plastic.

3,237,605 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 The face of the knob 6 directed towardsthe wall 3 is provided with a recess 12 (FIG. 10) having a profilelimited at its upper portion by a transverse zone 12a (FIG. 8), which isconnected by convergent inclined cam-faces 12b and 12e to a lowerend-zone 12d (FIG. 8). The recess 12 is thus limited on one side of theknob 6 by a vertical edge 12e (FIGS. 8 and 9), and on the ,other side bythe two Zones 12a, 12d having their ends tangent to an ideal straightline (not shown) parallel to the edge 12e. Also, a groove 13 (FIG. 10)having the same depth as the recess 12, is located above the latter, oneside of the groove 13 being in line with the edge 12e.

On its face directed towards the wall 3, the knob 7 is provided with arecess 14 (FIG. 10) similar to the recess 12 and symmetrical theretowith respect to the plane of the wall 3. Reference numerals 14a, 1411,14C, 14d and 14e refer to the elements of the recess 14 respectivelycorresponding to the elements 12a, 12b, 12C, 12d, 12e of the recess 12(FIGS. 8, 9, 10).

Each yknob 6, 7 hasat its lower portion a boss 15 directed `towards theball-pen axis. The thickness of each boss 15 is equal to half thethickness of the wall 3, so that vthe knobs 6, 7 may be both in contactby their bosses 15 (FIGS. 2 and 6), the upper faces 15a of the latterpreferably coming into abutment against the lower portion of adequateshoulders 16 provided within the cap 2in Aorder to limit the upwardmovement of the knobs 6, 7 under action of the return springs 9.

The oscillating member 5 with its cylindrical head 4 hinged in the wall3, has substantially the same thickness as the said wall 3. However, thelower portion of the oscillating member 5 has two studs 17 and 18 (FIG.l0) protruding laterally on each side in order to cooperate respectivelywith the recesses 12 and 14 of the knobs 6 and 7 (FIGS. 5 and l0).

The operation is as follows:

When the cartridges 8 are both in retracted position (FIGS. 1, 2) theknobs 6, 7 are upwardly urged by their return springs 9 and they are inabutment by means of their bosses 15, 15a against the shoulders 16 ofthe cap 2. By the simultaneous action of the stud 17 urged into theend-zone 12d between the cam-faces 12b and 12C, and of the stud 18 urgedinto the end-zone 14d between the cam-faces 14b and 14C, the oscillatingmember 5 is retained in a determined angular position, i.e. directedtowards the right in FIGS. l and S.

By then vertically urging the knob 7 inwardly of the ball-pen (FIG. 8),it is apparent that the action of the cam-face 14e on the stud 18 willpush the oscillating member 5 towards the left, which results in aslight downward movement of the knob 6 since the stud 17 of theoscillating member 5 operates in turn the cam-face 12b of the recess 12.When the knob 7 has been sufficiently pushed down i.e. when thetransverse zone 14a is at the level of the stud 18, the latter has atendency to engage therein under action of the return force of thespring 9 of the knob 6 which, due to the cam-face 12b, urges theoscillating member 5 towards the right (FIG. 9). This results then in aslight upward movement of the knob 6 up to its original position, whilethe oscillating member 5 is definitively pushed to the right andretained in place by the stud 17 engaging the cam-face 12b, and whilethe stud 18, completely engaging in the transverse Zone 14a of the knob7, locks the latter in writing position.

Similarly, by then pushing down the knob 6, it will be understood that asimilar action of its cam-face 12C causes, at iirst, a rotation to theleft of the oscillating member 5, the stud 18 of which escapes out ofthe portion 14a. The knob 7 being unlocked, returns back into retractedposition under action of its return spring 9,

3 whereafter, if the knob 6 is still pushed down, the latter is lockedin writing position as above indicated, the knob 7 being then maintainedin retracted position.

The groove 13 is adapted to permit assembly of the ball-pen. In fact,the knob 7 is rst placed in retracted position, and whereafter thecylindrical head 4 of the oscillating member 5 is engaged through thewall 3, the said oscillating member 5 being moved in a directionperpendicular to the ball-pen axis. When the oscillating member 5 is inplace, the knob 6 is inserted from the inner space of the ball-pen and,due to the groove 13 passing over the stud 17, it is possible to bringthe recess 12 around the said stud 17.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as claimed. More particularly, the bosses 15 and shoulders16 may be replaced by any other known device to limit the upwardmovement of the knobs 6, 7.

What I claim is:

A two-cartridge retractable ball pen mechanism comprising a longitudinalhousing open at its lower end and at its upper end, and having an innerthrust ring provided with two axial openings; a diametrical wallintegral with said housing and extending above the upper end of thelatter; two push-knobs inserted in and projecting from the upper end ofsaid housing, each of said knobs being axially movable in said housingand each having a recess on its side facing the other push-knob; twoball-pen writing elements of predetermined color movable axially in saidhousing through the said openings of the thrust ring, and having theirupper ends each mounted in their respective push-knobs, their lower endseach carrying a ball point adapted to project from the lower end of saidhousing when in operative position; a return spring disposed around eachwriting element between said thrust ring and the corresponding push-knobto urge the latter into its uppermost position; an oscillating memberpivotally carried by the lower portion of the said diametrical wall andadapted to oscillate under the wall and between both said push-knobs ina plane parallel to that of said diametrical wall, said oscillatingmember having two studs protruding laterally and each engaged in one ofthe said push-knob recesses, the latter being symmetrical with respectto the middle plane of said diametrical wall except for a verticalassembling groove provided in one of the said push-knobs and opening atthe upper portion of the latter, whereby each of the said push-knobrecesses has a profile adapted to urge the said oscillating memberalways in the same transverse direction under action of any of the saidwriting element return springs, said profile comprising an uppertransverse zone connected by convergent inclined cam-faces to a lowerend-zone directed in the same transverse direction as said upper portiontransverse zone.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,152,578 10/1964Hofman 1Z0-42.13 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,307,761 9/1962 France.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner.

